Syndicate: funding scheme for small-scale projects

["lisa haskel" <lisa.haskel@artscouncil.org.uk>]

Syndicate!

International/translocal collaborations involving artists 
or organisations based in England are welcome to apply to this 
scheme.  

Mail me for more details and advice, and of course spread the word.  

lisa



Arts Council of England:  Visual Arts Department:

Small Grants for New Media    


Small Grants for New Media is a special funding programme within the Media 
Publishing scheme run by the Visual Arts Department of the Arts Council of 
England.  The scheme is run by the Photography and New Media team in 
collaboration with Artists_ Film and Video and Architecture sections of the 
Visual Arts Department. This collaboration has come about in recognition of 
increasing cross-overs and convergences in practice across these areas.

The fund aims to support small-scale art projects that experiment with and 
extend the possibilities of distributable or distributed forms of new 
electronic media.  The scheme is in its second year.  Details of the awards 
made in the first round of the scheme can be found on:

http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/departments/VA.htm#devfunds




Purpose of the Scheme

Small Grants for New Media aims to encourage the production of original, 
innovative art works that have been made specifically for distributable 
forms of interactive media.

The fund will support modest scale but experimental projects with relatively 
short production timescales, which have the potential to make a significant 
contribution to the development of the new media as new creative sites and 
forms.

The fund aims to support experimentation and innovation, but also to ensure 
that projects have the widest possible impact and visibility.  Therefore, 
marketing and distribution strategies should be a key part of any 
application, and these too should show an innovative approach and awareness 
of the characteristics of the new media and their audiences.




Eligibility

Applications should come from small groups or partnerships within which 
there is some demonstrable ability and expertise in managing project 
promotion as well as production.

Projects could include but are by no means restricted to: artists_ web 
sites, virtual environments,  multi-user spaces, netcasting or other 
networked projects, small-scale interactive narratives, innovative 
interactive image/text works, artists_ games, software, screensavers. 
 Distribution formats could include floppy disks, CD-ROMs, web-sites or 
other networked forms.

Projects that comprise research and development towards a larger project may 
be considered if there is a finished and distributable outcome of the 
development stage, and if  there is a demonstrable opportunity for further 
funding.  Applications for _completion_ funding for the publication of a 
project already underway can also be considered.

The scheme will *not* support projects that are primarily documentation or 
archiving of works made for other media.

Projects should aim for completion by or before June 1999.





Criteria for assessment

Applications should demonstrate:

*    A motivation to explore the new media as enabling new forms of artistic 
production and sites for communication, rather than being led primarily by 
technological experimentation.

*    A critical understanding of the new media and a clear outline of the 
ways in which the proposal extends their potential. (Projects involving  a 
substantial amount of text are eligible if they meet this criteria).

*     A strong and innovative promotion, marketing and distribution 
strategy, and a partner in the application overseeing this aspect, i.e. 
acting as the _publisher_.


A sub-committee made up of members of the Visual Arts Department_s 
Publications Committee, Artists_ Film and Video committee and Architecture 
committee will assess applications.  Decisions will be made in November 
1998.





Finance and  Conditions

Grant money should be spent directly on costs involved with the production 
and distribution of original media art works.  Items of expenditure may 
include: fees for artists and collaborators e.g. specialist programmers, 
musicians and designers, packaging, marketing, purchase of additional 
hardware or software to a maximum of _2000, distribution, marketing and 
promotion, ongoing technical support and facilitation for a specified 
period.

Matching funding should be 15% or higher, and can include: sales, other 
grants and awards, sponsorship and  help-in-kind for example: donations or 
use of equipment, technical support, server space, free use of 
pressing/duplications facilities, donations of carriers e.g. floppy disks, 
CD_s.

You will be offered 90% of your grant on acceptance of a fomral offer and 
the remainder shortly after the completion of the project on receipt of a 
statement of income and expenditure and an evaluation report.  Should there 
be any change in content, outline, finance or schedule of the project, you 
must let us know in writing at once.

You will be expected to include an acknowledgement of Arts Council funding 
on all distributable media and publicity.  Guidlines regarding this will be 
sent to all successful applicants.





Applications

Please use the Photography and New Media application form available from the 
Visual Arts Department.  You may supply a separate budget itemised 
appropriately to your project.  Papers must be submitted looseleaf and 
unbound (ready to photocopied).  Please send a copy of your application to 
the relevant officer of your Regional Arts Board.





Supporting Materials

Supporting materials to your application may include slides, web sites, 
CD-ROM_s, floppy disks, video tapes, sketches of interactive structures 
and/or interfaces.  It is essential that you discuss your supporting 
materials with the Visual Arts Department officers named below who can 
advise you on what would be most appropriate.





Maximum Award: 8000  UK pounds
Grants will normally be in the range 3000 to 6000 UK pounds

Planned Allocation: 45,000 UK pounds

Deadline:  October 12 1998

It is highly recommended that you discuss your project with Andrea Davidson, 
Lisa Haskel or Amanda King before you submit an application.  This will 
ensure that your application is eligible for the fund, is well budgeted, and 
that supporting materials are appropriate.



For further details contact:  

Andrea Davidson
Lisa Haskel
Amanda King

                    
Visual Arts Department
Arts Council of England
14 Great Peter Street
London  SW1P  3NQ

Tel: 0171 973 6474
Fax: 0171 973 6429

                    

email:
andrea.davidson@artscouncil.org.uk
lisa.haskel@artscouncil.org.uk
amanda.king@artscouncil.org.uk